Grid atmosphere - air display. Italian Grand Prix, Sunday 6th September 2020. Monza Italy.
The inaugural season of the modern F1 championship was held in 1950, when Queen Elizabeth was 24 years old – Monza 2022 is set to be the first race in F1 without the queen
The first F1 world championship race took place at Silverstone in the United Kingdom in 1950. Back then, Queen Elizabeth II was yet to start her reign and was the Princess of the United Kingdom. Seventy-two years later, Her Majesty has passed away as a 96-year-old. This implies that the Monza GP this weekend will be the first F1 race in the Queen’s absence.
Formula 1, former and present F1 drivers paid their tributes to the Queen earlier today. Leading the sport’s tributes to Queen Elizabeth II was Formula 1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali, who said: “Formula 1 mourns the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.” Queen Elizabeth II bestowed knighthoods on four Formula 1 drivers during her 70-year reign, with Sir Lewis Hamilton the most recent, joining Sir Stirling Moss, Sir Jack Brabham and Sir Jackie Stewart.
Let us take a look how fans on Twitter reacted to the fact that Monza 2022 will be the first F1 race in the absence of the Queen.
“F1 came in 1950 and queen Elizabeth ii ruled since 1952, so technically F1 raced for 1.5-2 years without Queen Elizabeth ii”, a fan correctly pointed out.
“Damn. As an F1 fan, this opens your eyes to how long she’s lived/reigned”, wrote another fan.
“She did attend the first World Championship event but only as a princess”, read another tweet.
“Another wow, perhaps not of so much interest to others but really puts how long HM was with us in perspective”, tweeted another fan.
“this is insane, i realised she was old but it never hit me just how old she was”, came another tweet.
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